[Epidemiology of acute infectious diarrhea in Switzerland (endemic diarrhea)].

Acute infectious diarrhoea and its etiology are described. Toxin-induced diarrhoea, usually caused by foodstuffs, and travellers' diarrhoea (etiologically different from endemic diarrhoea) are mentioned. The epidemiology of acute diarrhoea in adults in Switzerland, which has so far not been investigated extensively, is documented from results of our own prospective study. These results demonstrate that 30% of endemic diarrhoea cases in Switzerland are caused by Salmonella and Campylobacter and 10% by Clostridium difficile and Rotavirus. Shigella and Protozoa are rarely sole agents in endemic diarrhoea.